Question about live vivs.

[gitrdone0420]

Ok, so I completely finished my vivarium for my water dragon, and now Im afraid that I did it wrong?
I was reading on BlackJungle.com that the plants and water are going to have to drain, but that seems impossible in a regular tank... So, they said to put loose substrate (Like Featherlite or Terralite) to help absorb the water and excess nutrients. Then to place some sort of divider, like fiberglass with small holes to allow water drainage covering the featherlite. Seal that, and then add soil (well, they recommended coco fiber and treefern fiber mixed).

Has anyone else done this? As of now, all I have is soil and planted plants in the soil, no drainage (oops). However, the only reason I did that was because I know a few people who have my setup with no problems.
Now Im afraid of bacteria and fungus and whatnot.

So, if someone can reassure me that I need to completely change my recently completed project to do it correctly please let me know. Or, if someone has a setup like mine and has had it for years with no problems, let me know as well.

Also, if I do go ahead with the cocofiber and treefern fiber mix, can I put earthworms and other insects in that to help keep it natural and clean?

Any input would be much appreciated.

 

[Olimpia]

I did something similar with my crestie enclosure. I wanted it to be riddiculously jungle-like so I had pebbles and coco fiber and moss everywhere, and plants in their little pots. But what happened was that mold started growing in the dirt udner the moss layer, so I had to remove that. Now I just have a layer of ecoearth and the plants in their pots and so far so good. I don't even have to water my plants very often, they're thriving just fine on the water I mist twice a day. So I think that if you plants don't need a lot of water then you might be fine. The problem is when you have plants that need to be watered constantly, because the soil is just going to be permanently soggy.

But I don't know a whole lot about truly live vivs, although I'd love to be able to maintain one. So I'd wait to see if someone will more experience answers.

 

[gitrdone0420]

Actually that makes a lot of sense. I dont actually water the plants, because I mist the enclosure a few times a day. And I would think that the plants would absorb the water through the mist from the leaves and such and that wouldnt leave a lot of water to remain. On top of that, I keep it very humid and warm in there because that is what the water dragon needs, so maybe the rest of the water will evaporate? And I wont have to start all over again? lol. Hopefully...

 

[gekko.gurl]

I agree with Olimpia..My gargoyle gecko had the same problem at the beginning - mold. All I did was layer the substrate bottom was river sand, middle was large beach rock, top was moss/forest bark. I had no problems with the plants or mold after.